In an emergency, rapid and orderly evacuation of a building is essential for saving lives and minimizing damage by allowing firefighters full access without having to assist in evacuation or save trapped people who could not find their way out. Evacuation of a building is typically accomplished with reference to a predetermined evacuation plan. Maps are often provided showing the evacuation routes. Drills are often performed to inform occupants of the safety plan and work out any problems that arise. Essential to many plans is a system of lighted EXIT signs and other egress direction indicators. Many Fire Marshals and building codes require such a system.
Fire drills are not always effective in training the necessary occupants as many businesses for example are frequented by customers who are not likely to be present during a fire drill and who would often object to being bothered by a fire drill at a location they infrequently attend.
Exit signs are typically placed near the ceiling, above doorways, where the sign can be seen at a distance and will not be subject to damage from typical traffic, which may include karts, cleaning machinery, and people carrying objects that may bump the walls, potentially damaging fragile transparent plastic or glass lighted signage. In a fire, however, the ceiling may become obscured by smoke
Thus, there is a need for an emergency egress device that is operable in a heavy smoke environment, provides intuitive and immediately understandable indication of best egress direction, is rugged enough to withstand normal traffic, and can be nondestructively deployed for fire and safety drills when desired.